It's About Time
by spitfire35
Summary: Freddie comes clean - he's not in love with Carly; he's attracted to Sam!
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own, wish I did.**

Chapter One

It all started with one word: ENOUGH. This word was issued from Freddie's lips as he stared at Sam. She faltered, her voice fading away as her eyes searched his face. For all the insults and name-calling, Sam knew exactly how her words affected him. Freddie would roll his eyes, shrug his shoulders, and best of all, hide a smile when she used one of her more creative insults. This time was different – she had insulted herself and he was livid. He couldn't understand why she had such a low opinion of herself.

They were in the iCarly studio, lounging on the bean bags. Rehearsal had ended early when Carly received a call from her new boyfriend, Jake. Both Sam and Freddie rolled their eyes when she claimed she'd be right back. They knew from prior experience that she could be gone for a really long time. It had been love at first sight for the two of them.

Carly and Sam had been sitting at their usual table at the Groovy Smoothie when Jake walked in. Tall, blond, athletic….both girls froze as they watched him head toward the counter. "Whoa," Sam whispered, not taking her gaze off of Jake. "I know," Carly whispered in reply. Smoothie in hand, Jake turned from the counter and glanced in their direction. His gaze lit on Carly and he made a beeline to her side. They had been inseparable ever since.

That was two months ago and Carly and Jake were still going strong. She spent hours on her cell phone, calling and texting, or sitting with him at the Groovy Smoothie. Carly was well and truly smitten, and although Sam didn't begrudge her friend true love, she couldn't help but feel envious of Carly's new relationship. She'd deny it with her last breath, but Sam wanted a guy who looked at her like Jake looked at Carly. Unfortunately, this didn't look like a possibility. Carly was a beautiful, lady-like, sweet girly-girl and Sam was…..not.

It was that last though, voiced aloud, that caused Freddie to jump to his feet and shout ENOUGH! As he moved towards her, Sam also jumped up and shouted back, "What is your problem, Freddie?" Freddie continued to advance until he stood toe-to-toe with sam, an extremely dangerous place to be.

"You are!" he bellowed, his eyes boring into hers."Why do you put yourself down like that?"

Sam was taken aback at the force of Freddie's anger, but she straightened up and yelled back. "What are you talking about? All I did was state the facts. Carly is pretty, sweet, knows how to act like a lady and is extremely girly. That's why guys like her more than me!"

Sam was surprised as Freddie seemed to grow bigger and stronger before her eyes. His hands shot out and grabbed her upper arms. She was shocked to feel the strength in his hands – when did that happen? Where did the wimpy Freddie go? She fought her instinct to close her eyes and revel in his strength and instead tried to focus on what he was saying.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Freddie ranted, shaking her slightly. "You're strong, tough, funny…"

"Exactly!" Sam shouted, twisting free from his grasp. "You just described a guy! Who would want to date another guy?" She blinked furiously, not wanting him to see her cry.

"Will you let me finish?" Freddie responded in a quieter tone. He moved in front of her, then reached up and touched her face gently. "You are also beautiful, with gorgeous eyes, and a killer smile." His voice faded away as he searched her face.

"I…I…do?" Sam stuttered. "You really think so?"

"All of the guys think so," Freddie replied.

"Yeah, right," Sam retorted. "That's why I have guys lined up three deep outside my door, begging me to go out with them." She turned her back on him and crossed her arms over her chest. Freddie followed, standing directly behind her. Sam could feel the warmth of his body through her thin shirt and she shivered involuntarily.

"Sam," Freddie began, hesitantly. "There's a reason why the guys at school don't ask you out." He paused, taking a deep breath and bracing himself for her inevitable attack. "And that reason would be….me."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Reason

As the last word fell from Freddie's lips, Sam twisted around in his grasp. She grabbed his shirt with both hands and yanked him towards her, completely ignoring the ripping sound his shirt made.

"What the hell are you talking about Benson?" Sam demanded, her face mere inches from his own. "Why are you the reason guys don't ask me out?" When he didn't immediately reply, she doubled her grasp on his shirt and yanked. He wouldn't meet her eyes at first, but she was insistent.

"The guys at school watch the show and see us fighting all the time. They think we're flirting, not arguing. And you didn't tell them they're crazy? That you and I are not together?"

Freddie broke free from her grasp and stepped away from her. "You don't understand!" yelled Freddie. "Those jerks constantly talk about how hot you are and how long your legs are and…..other things I can't say to your face. I just got so angry!"

"Angry? But why?"

"Because you're mine, damn it!" roared Freddie. "I'm the one who kissed you first. I'm the one who dreams about you and fights with you just to make you smile. I'm the one who buys you smoothies and your favorite kind of ham and I'm the one who offered to be your personal punching bag when you were upset. Me, not one of those jerks!" And with that, he grasped her arms and yanked her to him. His hands came up and framed her face as he leaned in and whispered, "You have no idea what you do to me, Sam."

Struck speechless, Sam opened and closed her mouth several times as she stared at him with huge eyes. Her mind was racing a mile a minute – did Freddie mean what she thought? What she hoped? Feeling suddenly and uncharacteristically shy, she lowered her eyes and whispered in return.

"I really don't, do I?"

As his lips closed over hers, Sam's eyes fluttered closed and her hands flattened against his chest. His hands slid down her back, drawing her even closer to him. This was totally different from their first kiss. While that had been uncomfortable and awkward, this was just….hot. Tingles ran up and down her spine, following the paths his hands were taking. The kiss reached its end, with the two standing close together, breathing heavily.

They stood there for a moment, waiting for their heartbeats to slow down. Suddenly Sam's head popped up, hitting Freddie in the chin.

"Ow," groaned Freddie, rubbing his injury with a wince.

"Oh, suck it up, Fredward," Sam replied absently, her brows furrowed in thought. "Wait, you said you got angry - was that why Jeff Williams was avoiding you in the hallway yesterday?"

"He made a rude comment about you and I made him stop," Freddie shrugged. "No big deal."

Sam's eyebrows shot up. "No big deal?" she repeated. Jeff is the center for the football team! What exactly did you do to get him to stop?"

Sam backed away from Freddie, her eyes running over his lanky frame. He had grown quite a bit this past year and was filling out quite nicely. "Hmmm. When did that happen?" she wondered aloud.

Freddie laughed. "I'm still fencing, remember? I do strength training three days a week and run three to five miles every other day. See?" He reached over and picked Sam straight up into the air until her face was level with his. Sam's feet dangled as she stared at him in disbelief. When did he get so tall? For that matter when did he get so strong?

Sam could feel the muscles in Freddie's arms underneath her fingertips. She stared at him for a moment, and then made her decision. She looped her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. Stunned, he stared at her in shock.

"S-s-s-am?" he stuttered, almost dropping her in shock.

"What did you tell Jeff?" Sam whispered in his ear, delighting in the shivers that racked his body.

"I told him that you were mine," he groaned, his lips now an inch from hers.

Secretly thrilled by his admission, Sam surged forward and claimed his lips with her own. Their lips clashed again and again; his tongue snaked out and traced the seam of her lips, begging entrance. She opened her mouth without hesitation, reveling in the unexpected heat coursing through her body. Their kisses grew deeper and more passionate and frenzied, culminating with Sam grinding her hips against him. He groaned loudly in reaction and Sam pulled away with a grin.

"And now, you're mine."


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Thanks everyone for the nice reviews. Just a quick note about the rating; eventually this will be an 'M' rating. You have been warned. _

Chapter Three

Sam and Freddie were still wrapped in each other's arms, minds racing after Sam's exclamation. She had claimed him – and he was ecstatic. They were torn from the moment by the sound of footsteps approaching. Freddie dropped Sam onto her feet and scrubbed a hand over his lips to remove any traces of lip gloss , which Sam straightened her clothes.

Carly bounced in, smiling happily. "Hey, guys!" she trilled. "Whatcha doing?"

Freddie opened his mouth to reply, but Sam beat him to it.

"Nothin' at all. Me and the dork have just been hanging out, waiting for you." Sam shot a warning glance at Freddie, telling him to keep his mouth shut.

Both sets of eyes snapped to Carly when she burst out, "Liars!"

Sam and Freddie froze, staring guiltily at each other. How did Carly know? Was it obvious that they had been making out? Thoughts racing, the pair turned to face a grinning Carly.

"What are you talking about, Carls?" Sam asked carefully, not looking at Freddie.

"Well, duh, Sam! Look at him!" Carly giggled.

Sam stared at Freddie. Were his lips swollen? Did she leave fingerprints?

"I mean, really, Sam," Carly continued. "Did you think I wouldn't notice? His shirt is all torn up!"

"Ohhhh, right!" Sam said, relief in her voice. "We were just arguing a little, that's all."

"Your mom is going to kill you, Freddie!" Carly exclaimed. "Why don't you let me see if I can fix that for you? You can borrow a shirt from Spencer."

"Sure, that would be great, Carly," Freddie replied, relieved that they had not been found out. He reached over his head and pulled off his shirt, missing the look of shock that passed over Sam's face as she took him in. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes roamed hungrily up and down his uncovered chest and arms. Sam snapped out of it as Freddie tossed his shirt to Carly and she headed to the door.

"Be right back!" Carly called as she left, closing the door behind her.

The pair watched Carly leave, and then slowly turned back to look at each other. They stared for one beat, two beats….then flew into each other's arms. As their lips met, Sam's hands snaked up Freddie's arms, gliding up and over onto his chest. While her hands explored him, Freddie caught her around the hips, pulling her into him. They both groaned at the contact.

Freddie's lips moved from Sam's, leaving a trail of warmth down her neck. She shivered and tightened her grip on his shoulders, biting his neck. Freddie growled and started to lower her onto the closest bean bag. They froze again, hearing Carly's footsteps, and then jumped apart quickly.

"Hey, Freddie," Carly's voiced floated in from the hall. "What do you think about this shirt?" Luckily, Carly was looking at the shirt in her hand, not at the man in question. Even oblivious Carly could not miss their disheveled state.

Carly froze, staring at Freddie. She whirled around and blasted Sam. "Jeez, Sam, did you have to be so rough with him? You left marks on his shoulders!"

Sam was mortified, a blush creeping up her face, as Carly turned to face Freddie. She flung the shirt at Freddie and turned back to face Sam, her hands on her hips. Sam opened and closed her mouth, trying desperately to reply. She could see Freddie over Carly's shoulder, and he actually had the gall to wink at her!

"What can I say, Carls? The dork likes it rough." Sam smirked, hearing Freddie's snicker in response.

Meanwhile, Freddie quickly shrugged on Spencer's shirt, wanting to hide Sam's handiwork from Carly's prying eyes. He buttoned Spencer's shirt, leaving it untucked. Perfect timing – his iPear phone began to shrill. Freddie pulled it out of his back pocket, and glanced at the screen.

"It's my mom," he stated matter-of-factly. "Gotta go."

As he headed out the door, he turned to look at the girls. "See you later, Carly." He paused. "Sam." And with that, he was gone.

Carly immediately turned to Sam. "Is it just me, or is Freddie acting kinda weird?"

"Um, I don't what you're talking about, Carls. I gotta go, too." Sam scooped up her backpack and almost ran out the door.

Carly was left standing alone in the studio.

"Well, that was weird."


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Wow! I'm glad everyone is enjoying this story so far. Thanks for all the great reviews! I just had to write this one down._

Chapter Four

As Sam closed the apartment door behind her, she leaned against it and sighed. She lifted a trembling hand to her lips, amazed by what had just happened. Had she really made out with Freddie? Was this a one-time thing or could she possibly want….more? She frowned, contemplating the last question. Her phone chimed, indicating a text message.

_Call u 2nite. Need 2 talk._

She quickly replied and stuffed her phone back into her pocket. Out of sight, out of mind. With her heart beating even faster, Sam headed towards home, lost in confusion.

* * *

Freddie entered his apartment quickly and slammed the door behind him. He fell back against the door and let out the breath he'd been holding. He had kissed Sam. And she didn't hurt him. Correction: he made out with Sam – and she liked it! He still couldn't wrap his brain around what had just happened. He pulled out his phone and texted Sam, waiting for her reply. It came immediately:

_2nite_

Later that night…..

Sam sat on her bed, staring blankly at the wall. Every so often, her hand would touch her lips and the afternoon would come flooding back. Freddie's lips on hers, his bare chest warm under her hands…..

Her cell phone rang, rudely interrupting her daydream. She jumped, startled by the sudden noise in the stillness and rushed to answer it before it rang again.

"Hello?" she asked, her heartbeat accelerating as she waited for the reply.

"Hey, Sam," Freddie's voice came over the line. When did his voice get so deep? Sam opened her mouth to speak, cleared her throat and tried again.

"What's up, Fredward?"

"Very smooth, Puckett," Freddie chuckled. "I'd almost believe that you forgot everything that happened today."

Unbidden images rushed through her mind. Flashes of heat, warmth, passion….

"Alright, so maybe I do remember some things. Why did you do that, Freddie? Why did you kiss me?"

There was a lengthy pause before Freddie tentatively asked, "Can I be honest with you? Or are you going to beat the hell out of me tomorrow morning?"

Sam thought for a moment, and then replied in turn. "Be honest with me. But, I do reserve the right to beat the hell out of you if you cross the line."

"Wait, which line?"

"Trust me, you'd know."

Once he got her agreement, or what would pass for agreement from Sam, Freddie took a deep breath, hoping to calm his jumpy stomach.

"I finally reached the end of my patience. I couldn't take it anymore. My choices were to leave or kiss you senseless. Guess we know which one I chose." His voice dropped a register. "It's like that every time you bother me nowadays."

Sam stared at her phone for a minute, and then brought it back up to her ear. "Wait a minute, dork. Every time?" she asked incredulously.

"Every freakin' time!" he stated firmly, leaving no room for discussion. "I've been holding back for months, but I finally lost it today. I don't know what I'll do the next time you tick me off."

Sam smirked naughtily. "I'd better start planning something good. I can't wait to see what you'll do if I make an effort to tick you off."

His breath hitched and his heartbeat thundered in his ears. "You mean, I can do that again? Just scoop you up and kiss you senseless? And you won't beat me up?"

Sam was surprised at the heat that spread throughout her body as he described what he might do. "Well, I don't know about that last part. No promises, but I might be willing to try. Just don't try it in public, OK?"

After a pause, he finally replied. "Oh," he muttered. "You're embarrassed by me."

She thought for a minute, and then answered carefully. "Look, since you've been honest with me, I can do the same for you. I'm not exactly embarrassed. I just want to keep things private until we figure out where we're going with this…..thing."

"OK, I get it," came the more enthusiastic reply. "Hold on, does that mean we're going to sneak around? And what about Carly?"

"She's not invited."

"Ha, ha. Very funny. I meant what are we going to tell her? Don't you remember how she reacted after she found out about our first kiss? This is a lot…..more."

"Look, dork, just leave Carly to me, OK? I'll talk to her in the morning."

"Are you sure? We can talk to her together."

"Nope, we'll just have a little girl talk and she'll be fine. Well, as fine as she can be."

"All right, you win. See you in the morning?"

"If you're lucky…"

Their conversation continued on until the wee hours of the morning. They learned many things about each other, interspersed with insults and name-calling. Of course, threats were also involved, especially when it came to their new status. After spending hours on the phone, they finally fell asleep, dreaming of their next meeting.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Finally, the chapter where Carly learns about Freddie and Sam. Longest chapter yet!_

Chapter Five

Sam was up bright and early the next morning, which was surprising considering how little sleep she had gotten. She really needed to talk to her best friend about everything that had happened. Sam could hardly believe it herself – she and Freddie were now together. If someone had suggested that it was possible, Sam would have punched them out and asked questions later.

Although Sam primarily dressed for comfort, she still took special care with her appearance that morning. This would be her first day with her new boyfriend, and even if no one else knew about it, she still wanted it to be kinda special. After their conversation last night, she knew that Freddie really liked to see her in his favorite color, so she thought she'd give the dork a thrill and wear a blue shirt. Sam checked the mirror one last time, and headed to school early for the first time EVER.

Sam entered the school and rounded the corner, almost knocking Carly down. Luckily, Sam had good reflexes and caught Carly before she fell over.

"Sam?" Carly asked, surprised. "You're at school early? What's wrong? Are you sick? Who died? Tell me!!!" With each question, Carly grew even more agitated and shook Sam by the shoulders.

"Chill, woman!" Sam exclaimed, pulling Carly's hands off her shoulders. "I just need to talk to you, that's all!"

Carly breathed in and out, attempting to calm herself. With a last gulp, she forced herself to relax. "OK, then. What's up?"

"Um, OK. Well, you see, there's this guy…."

"OMG!" Carly squealed. "Sam has a crush! Aw, that's so cute!" Sam cringed as Carly's voice rose several octaves.

"Hey, keep it down!" Sam ordered, edging closer to Carly and lowering her voice. "And it's not a crush. We're kinda…together now."

"What?!" Carly screeched in return. "How long have you been…. How did this…. We said no more secrets, remember?" Her voice trailed off, registering hurt.

"I know, I know!" Sam jumped in and grabbed Carly's arm. "It just happened last night, I swear! And I came in at this godforsaken time so I could tell you!"

"Oh," a visibly deflated Carly breathed. "So who is he? Do I know him? Is he cute? Is he hot?" Carly wiggled her eyebrows at Sam, trying to act naughty, but because it was Carly, that fell flat.

"Slow down, Carls. Yes, you know him. Yes, he's seriously cute AND hot. And you're creeping me out with that eyebrow thing."

"Wait, what do mean I know him? C'mon, Sam, spill!"

Just then Sam's phone went off. She had reprogrammed her ringer to play "Dirty Little Secret" whenever Freddie called. Appropriate, no? Quickly, Sam turned so that Carly couldn't see the picture of Freddie that appeared on her screen.

"Hey, where are you?" Sam asked, smiling.

"ETA, 2 minutes. Are we cool?" the disembodied deep voice asked.

"Yeah, we're cool. See you in a minute, babe." As the last word slipped out of her mouth, Sam blushed furiously, not wanting to meet Carly's eyes.

"Babe?" Carly asked incredulously. "BABE?!?! I've got to meet this guy. You swore up and down that you would never ever use a pet name. Why haven't you beaten him up yet?"

"Who says I haven't? Besides, it's not a much fun as it used to be," Sam smirked. She could see Freddie approaching over Carly's shoulder. "Hey, babe!" she called out.

Carly whipped around and spotted Freddie coming towards them. "Freddie, have you seen a really cute, hot guy? Sam's got a new boyfriend and….hey, where did he go?" Carly looked around frantically, not seeing Freddie move closer to Sam and wrap his arm around her.

"A really cute and hot guy, huh?" Freddie asked, raising his eyebrows at Sam. She glowered and elbowed him in the ribs. Freddie cringed and wrapped his arms around his midsection, groaning, "Damn it, Sam"!

Carly swung around and glared at Freddie. "Don't you dare tease her, Freddie! Sam finally found a guy she's totally into and you should not be giving her any grief about it…" her voice trailed away as she watched Freddie straighten and step directly behind Sam. He curled his arm around her shoulders and he shot a grin at Carly. Sam smiled and leaned back into him, feeling his warmth against her back. Her hands came up and curled around his arm. He dropped a quick kiss on top of Sam's head, bending down a little to do so.

"Whoa, when did you get so tall?" Carly asked rhetorically. "Wait, Freddie is the hot guy? Him? OK, is there a hidden camera somewhere? Are you filming this for iCarly? There is NO way this could ever happen. Sam said you're hot!"

At Carly's emphatic statement, Freddie's face fell. He stepped away from Sam, letting his arms fall to his side. She immediately spun around to keep him from retreating.

"Freeze, dork!" Sam commanded. She grabbed his arm and dragged him down the hall, wanting a little privacy with her (gulp) boyfriend.

"What is your problem, dork?" Sam demanded, whispering furiously. She crossed her arms and waiting for his reply.

"It just hit me, OK?" Freddie wouldn't meet her eyes. "Why would you want someone like me? I'm a dork in the AV club, remember? I'm a scrawny technogeek. Why would someone as beautiful as you settle for that?"

"Settle?" Sam sputtered. "Is that what you really think? You are the only one who gets me, who lets me be myself. I can joke around with you, insult you, even use you for a punching bag if I need to. And scrawny? Have you looked at yourself lately? I'm with you because I want to be. You are MY dorky, AV-club lovin' technogeek, got it? Or do I have to beat the hell out of you? You're stuck with me, babe."

"Babe, huh?" Freddie smirked. "Is that what we're going to call each other?" He moved closer, lowering his voice as he stared at her intensely. "I like it."

Sam looked up at him through her lashes. "Me, too. But if you ever call me some cutesy pet name…" She shook her fist at him, letting her threat hang in the air.

"Whoa, babe," Freddie shot back, raising his hands in surrender. "I think 'babe' is as cutesy as we'll ever get. Sorry I doubted you."

"No big," Sam replied with a shrug. "You can make it up to me later," she added suggestively. She strode back to Carly confidently, leaving Freddie with all sorts of thoughts running through his head. He slowly sauntered over to the girls, arriving just in time to hear Carly exclaim loudly, "But he's in love with me!"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Freddie noted Sam's reddening face and clenched fists and jumped in front of her. He really didn't want Sam to do something she'd regret later.

"Sorry , Carly," he stated firmly. "I haven't had a crush on you for over a year."

"What?" stammered Carly. "But you followed me around for so long….."

"Past tense," Freddie answered. "I got tired of waiting for you to notice me. And while you were out on one of your many dates, I spent all my time with Sam."

"Don't you mean fighting with Sam?" Carly shot back, a bit miffed at Freddie's declaration. While she wasn't really interested in Freddie, it had been kinda nice having someone willing to do anything for her.

"Oblivious much?" Sam interjected harshly. Freddie shot her a look that shut her up in her tracks, and then turned back to Carly.

"Yes, we still fight," Freddie explained calmly, "but there's more to it than that. Now we fight because we want to. It makes things a lot more interesting." He smirked, wincing when Sam punched him in the shoulder. "Damn it, babe!"

"Oh, hush, dork. You know you liked it," Sam smirked in reply.

"But you're always over at my apartment, hanging around….Oh!" Carly finally got the point. Feddie was hanging around for Sam, not for her. Talk about a reality check.

"But is this really what you want?" Carly asked, still confused by the entire conversation.

"She's exactly what I want," Freddie replied, gazing at Sam.

"Same goes," retorted Sam, never breaking eye contact as she reached for his hand.

"Wow," Carly breathed."Everyone is going to freak!"

"No, they're not," Sam insisted. "We're not ready to go public yet."

Carly crossed her arms and nodded wisely. "Right. So you just want to keep this hidden, huh? Is there a reason for that?"

"Why do you all keep assuming that?" Sam exclaimed, exasperated beyond belief. "We just want some time for ourselves before all the drama begins. Is that so hard to understand? Look at your reaction! You freaked out the first time that we kissed, and we promised that there would be no more secrets. But you and Spencer are the only ones we're telling right now, OK?"

"OK," agreed Carly, with a shrug. "It's not like anyone would believe me anyway."

The bell rang, and Freddie and Sam quickly dropped their hands and stepped away from each other. He winked at her and headed up the stairs to his first class. Sam and Carly stayed in place, watching him walk away.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Carly asked, tentatively.

"Shoot," agreed Sam quickly.

"Is he a good kisser?" Carly asked, not meeting Sam's eyes.

"Carly," Sam smiled, patting Carly on the shoulder. "You have NO idea…." She sighed deeply and walked away slowly, already lost in a daydream.

"This is really gonna be weird," Carly said to herself, watching her other best friend walk away.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, with Freddie and Carly taking notes and Sam sleeping through class. The three of them walked to class together as they did every day. The only difference was that Sam and Freddie always walked right next to each other. No one (not even Carly) noticed that they would brush against each other constantly as they walked down the hall.

They ate lunch together companionably, with Carly watching them closely, looking for any sign of their new relationship. The new couple still argued, insulted each other and teased each other constantly. After observing their behavior for a while, Carly finally relaxed and decided that it would be better to just ignore the whole thing. Better for her, at least.

Little did Carly know that Sam and Freddie were currently holding hands under the table, that they had texted each other multiple times already that day and that they had spent part of their study hall making out in a supply closet. They were late to class, but it was definitely worth it! Of course, they couldn't share this with Carly without making her uncomfortable. On the plus side, all of the sneaking around was exciting and dangerous (especially to Freddie). They couldn't wait until school was over so they could truly be alone.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: All right, people. Time to start working in those "adult themes." You have been warned. :) Love the reviews, so I've posted two chapters in one day. Enjoy!_

Chapter Seven

The three friends were sitting in Carly's living room, watching yet another episode of Girly Cow. Freddie and Carly sat on opposite ends of the couch, with Sam sitting in the middle. Truth be told, neither Freddie or Sam were actually watching the show. They were too busy focusing on each other and their linked hands, safe out of sight between them.

When they first entered the apartment, the trio followed their usual routine. They dumped their backpacks by the front door, headed straight to the kitchen to grab a snack, then drifted over to the couch to start their afterschool TV time. By this point, Carly had almost forgotten their early morning conversation, employing a 'pretend it never happened, and it will all disappear' stance on the whole thing. She never noticed her friends' changed behavior.

As soon as they sat down, Carly busied herself with the TV remote, searching for her favorite show. Freddie and Sam sat stiffly, not quite sure what to do. He finally reached out and linked his fingers with hers. She turned quickly, grimacing at him for his audacity. He offered a small smile, and tucked their linked hands by his side. Unless Carly suddenly developed true powers of observation, there was no way she would even notice. Secure in their friend's self-absorption, they relaxed, happy to be spending time together.

Every so often, Freddie would look over at Sam, giving her a slight smile. She would return the favor, squeezing his hand and smiling in return. Luckily, Carly was still in her now-famous oblivious mode and was absorbed in the TV show. This went on for quite a while. Although Freddie and Sam longed for some alone time, they wanted Carly to get used to the idea before disappearing for some privacy. Little did they know, their opportunity for alone time was almost upon them

Carly's cell phone went off, startling all three of them. She jumped up quickly, answering the phone with a giggly, "Jake! I thought you had baseball practice this afternoon!" Carly ran to her room, tossing a "Be right back!" at her friends over her shoulder. If she had looked back, she would have seen both Freddie and Sam rolling their eyes at her statement.

"Well, she'll be gone for a couple of hours," Sam commented dryly. "So what should we do now?"

Freddie slid a glance in her direction, then released her hand and slid an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sure we can think of something," he smirked.

They leaned towards each other slowly, until their lips finally met. They kissed tentatively at first, but grew bolder as the heat between them grew.

Suddenly Sam drew back and looked him in the eyes. "You do realize that I'm still going to insult, belittle and harass you every chance I get, right?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Freddie replied as he leaned in and recaptured her lips.

Again their kiss intensified and he drew her closer to him. After many more kisses, the position proved to be extremely uncomfortable. Coming to a quick decision, Freddie pulled Sam into his lap, never breaking their kiss. His hands roamed across her back, sending shivers down her spine.

Sam, not being shy, twisted her body in his lap, trying to find an even more comfortable position. She boldly threw her leg over his lap, effectively straddling him. They both groaned at the sudden intimate contact, neither one having felt this before.

This time it was Freddie who pulled away. "You just want me because I'm hot, right?"

"Sure, dorkwad, that must be it," Sam rolled her eyes and leaned in to kiss him again.

He evaded her kiss, grasping her upper arms and continued, "C'mon, Sam. You can tell me. You can't keep your hands off me!"

Sam let out an outraged gasp and grabbed Freddie's shirt. "If you don't kiss me in the next ten seconds, I'm going to hurt you, Fredward."

"Really, Samantha?"

"Don't call me that," ordered Sam, shaking him roughly. "You jerk!"

"Pyscho."

"Mama's boy."

"Pain in the ass."

"Babe," they both said at the same time and melted into each other for another kiss.

Their lips clashed and mouths opened, tongues coming into play. She moaned when he began kissing her neck and bit his in return. His hands slid under the edge of her shirt, lightly caressing the skin there. She gasped and shivered as his skin made contact with hers. He filed that information away, wanting to remember that for the future. He had just begun to move his hands up her shirt when they heard Carly's voice coming down the stairs. With a groan of dismay, Sam rose out of Freddie's lap and settled in next to him.

He immediately reached out and hauled her next to him, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "To be continued," Sam whispered, her voice full of promises."

"I'm counting on it," murmured Freddie, resting his head on top of hers.

When Carly finally came down the stairs, she found them cuddled up on the couch. Freddie was stroking Sam's hair and she had a contented smile on her face. Now that she could see them in such a relaxed pose, Carly could clearly see the connection between the pair. It still freaked her out some, but if this made them happy, she could be supportive. Besides, it looked like they were taking things very slowly, so the awkwardness should be minimal, right?

Little did she know…..


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Time to heat things up a bit more! I'm finally posting after a little break; hopefully, I'll get another chapter posted later this week. Enjoy!_

Chapter Eight

The next few weeks passed quietly, at least on the surface. Carly was wary at first, convinced that this new relationship between her best friends was going to mean drastic changes. She was pleasantly surprised to find that there was little to no difference in their day-to-day interactions. Freddie and Sam continued to insult each other every chance they got. They bickered constantly,, and it wasn't unusual to see one of them storming out of the studio, steam coming from his (or her) ears.

The only real difference that Carly could identify was that their altercations were not as physical as they used to be. Yes, they continued to poke at each other, and Sam was still likely to pummel him when she got irritated, but Freddie no longer cringed and hid from her wrath. He tended to face her tantrums head on with a glint in his eye and a strong stance. For her part, Sam was much more likely to pull him aside in order to argue with him than or wait until they were alone. This was the main reason that Carly hadn't seen many changes – the new couple was determined to keep "couple time" exactly that. They came to an agreement early on; it was better if Carly wasn't asked to choose sides in an argument and remained a neutral party. Of course, this only applied to "couple" issues, not friendship issues. So far, the boundaries had held and Carly was still oblivious about most things that went on in Freddie and Sam's relationship.

The three friends were in the studio, rehearsing their next episode of iCarly. Freddie and Sam immediately started sniping at each other. As their fight began to escalate, Carly took the opportunity to quietly text her boyfriend, Jake, about heading out for dinner and a movie. She knew from prior experience that once Freddie and Sam began arguing it was better to retreat and not draw attention to herself, especially since their arguments could last for hours. Confirmation text received, Carly announced that she was leaving (very quietly) and snuck out of the room.

Sam and Freddie continued arguing, oblivious to their best friend's departure. With every insult they moved closer and closer together until they were mere inches from each other. Breathing heavily, they stared into each other's eyes, unable to tear their gazes away. Without a word, Freddie reached out and wrapped his hand in Sam's hair, tugging her even closer to him. She lifted her chin defiantly and rose to her tiptoes, meeting him halfway. Just before their lips met, they froze with widened eyes. Freddie looked around the room, not seeing Carly and simply shrugged before returning to his previous position.

When their lips finally met, they both groaned in response, lips parting slightly before surging together again. The kiss intensified and Freddie curled one arm around Sam's waist, pulling her tighter into his body. Sam gasped and responded by snaking her tongue against his lips, begging for entrance. He happily complied, his own mouth slanting hungrily over hers, deepening the kiss. Her hands moved up his back, feeling their way up to his shoulders. Sam grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him down to her. After quite a few intense kisses, it occurred to Freddie that his back was beginning to hurt. He attempted to pull away slightly, but Sam was having none of it. As he straightened, she clung to his shoulders and he smoothly lifted her up so that their faces were level. They broke apart for one quick moment, breathing heavily.

With one smooth motion, Freddie lifted Sam into the air, his mouth reaching hungrily for hers. She wrapped her legs around his waist, clinging to him with all her might. Freddie staggered slightly, looking around him for a place to settle. He spotted the bean bags and lowered Sam onto them gently. She pulled his body over hers, running her hands down his back. She smirked with her lips still pressed against his, not an easy task, and he rolled his eyes in response. He felt her small hands begin another trek up his back, but this time he could feel her sliding her hands under his shirt. He moaned in response and quickly flipped over onto his back, dragging her with him. "My turn," he growled roughly, marveling at how it felt to have her straddling his body. He slowly slid his hands up the sides of her shirt, watching the line of exposed skin expand. His eyes darkened, and Sam shuddered in response.

Coming to a quick decision, Sam pulled her shirt off, leaving herself clad in one of her "Build-A-Bra" selections. Freddie gasped, his eyes riveted to the creamy skin exposed by the scrap of fabric. "Sam," he breathed, hypnotized by the rise and fall of her chest. "You are so beautiful…." Sam blushed and tapped his chest with one shaky hand. "Your turn," she insisted. "I want to get my hands on that chest of yours."

"Yes, ma'am," Freddie saluted, reaching over his shoulder to tug off his shirt, exposing his chest to her scorching gaze. Sam was fascinated by his tanned skin, muscled and firm, yet he still had a lanky frame. She trailed her fingers across his chest, feeling him shiver in response. Feeling bold, she leaned forward and kissed his chest, hearing him gasp with delight. She grabbed his hand in her own and placed it on her breast. He froze, unsure what to do. "Just feel," she whispered. "That's all – just feel."

"S-s-am," Freddie stuttered, struck dumb by the sheer magnitude of this moment, "I…." The elevator suddenly came to life and the couple jumped to their feet. Sam scooped up her shirt and flung Freddie's shirt to him. He shrugged it on, but left it untucked, trying to conceal his arousal. Sam quickly slipped her shirt over her head and tried to straighten her hair. They both took a deep breath as the elevator door opened. "OMG," Carly said as she stepped off the elevator, "Are you two still fighting?" "Um, yeah, I guess so," Sam muttered, looking at the floor. "That's it!" insisted Carly. "Kiss and make up, right now!"

The chastised pair turned to look at Carly in shock. "Say what?" Freddie asked, "You want me to kiss Sam?" "Yes," Carly insisted again. "I know you two don't have much experience, but you should at least be able to kiss your girlfriend!" Freddie quirked an eyebrow at Sam, and she had to work to restrain her laughter. "All right, Carls, don't get your panties in a bunch. I'll kiss the dorkwad." And with that, she leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to Freddie's lips. "There! Isn't that better?" Carly giggled. "Now go straight home without anymore fighting!" "OK," Freddie responded, leading Sam into the elevator. "Geez," Carly muttered to herself, " Freddie is so scared of Sam, I practically had to force them to kiss! At this rate, they'll progress to making out three years from now." She rolled her eyes and followed them on to the elevator. As the doors closed on them, Carly could be heard asking, "Hey, Sam, did you know that your shirt inside out?"


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Note: I'm finally updating! Yay, me! Now that school's almost out, I should have more free time…hah! Warning: This is going to get really hot – read at your own risk!_

Chapter Nine

Rehearsals had gone really well for iCarly, and the trio was hanging out, talking over their dress rehearsal. Carly was waiting on her boyfriend and Sam and Freddie were trying to keep their hands off each other. It had been a week since they'd had any 'alone' time and both were getting very antsy. Freddie had stayed home for three days after he coughed once in his mother's presence. She immediately went "psycho mom" on him and insisted that he stay in bed all day. Meanwhile, Sam's mom was currently between boyfriends and wanted her daughter to hang out and have 'girl time'.

After an entire week apart, the couple finally found themselves alone in Carly's living room. Freddie sat on one end of the couch and motioned to Sam to sit next to him. As she attempted to sit down, Carly swooped in and pushed Sam aside, much to the couple's chagrin. Carly plopped herself between them and insisted that they watch Girly Cow with her. Freddie leaned back against the couch and mouthed to Sam, "DO something!"

"So, where's Jake?" Sam asked nonchalantly.

"Oh, we didn't have any plans for tonight. I just thought that the three of us could just hang out," Carly replied.

"Oh, right, just hang out," Sam echoed listlessly, shrugging her shoulders at Freddie.

Freddie quietly pulled out his phone and texted Sam: Tell C that u got 2 go home!

"Oh, man," Sam moaned. "It's my mom – I have to go home." She got up and began gathering her stuff.

Freddie jumped up as well, "Well, let me walk you home. It's getting late." He grabbed Sam's backpack and rushed her out the door. "Good night, Carly!" he yelled as he slammed the door behind him. As soon as the door closed, he pushed Sam towards his door, pulling the key out of his pocket. Freddie quickly unlocked the door and pulled Sam inside. "Whew! Made it!"

"Freddie, what the hell are you doing!" Sam ranted. "Your mom's head is going to explode when she sees me!"

"Relax, Sam," Freddie replied. "Mom is working the night shift, so she won't get home until late."

"Wait – you mean we're all alone?" Sam slyly asked. "No one will bother us?"

"Yep," Freddie answered, popping the "p" sound with a smirk. "We're all alone. Whatever shall we do?"

"Well, we could play a video game, I suppose. Or check out the iCarly website…."

"After," Freddie stated firmly, with his arms crossed his chest.

"After what?" Sam grinned. She shrieked as Freddie scooped her up and carried her into his bedroom.

He kicked the door shut behind them and strode across the room to his neatly made bed. She bounced lightly as he gently dropped her, then turned on her side to face him as he lay down beside her. She propped her head up on her hand and smiled. "I've never been in your bed before."

"Technically, you're on my bed, not in it, but trust me – you've been in my bed almost every night," Freddie admitted, blushing madly.

"Really, babe? So what do we do when you're dreaming about me?" Sam asked wickedly.

"Why don't I show you instead?" Freddie replied, suddenly more sure of himself. He leaned forward and kissed Sam, following her as she rolled over onto her back. Her hands came up and began stroking his back as he cupped her face with his hands. Their kisses grew deeper and more intense. Freddie was laying on top of her, but with most of his weight on his arms. She pulled him down on top of her, wanting to feel the weight of his body on hers. She gasped when he ran his tongue over her lower lip and he groaned when she returned the favor.

"Oh, Freddie!" Sam moaned as he began dragging kisses down her neck to her shoulder. She frantically reached down and pulled his shirt from his waistband. "Too many clothes!" she ranted, helping his pull his shirt off. He pulled her to a sitting position and yanked her shirt over her head, throwing it onto the floor. He attacked her lips again, this time falling backwards as she straddled him. With a sexy pout, Sam reached behind her and unhooked her bra. She let the straps fall off her shoulders, while holding the cups in place with her hands.

"Babe," Freddie groaned in anticipation. He couldn't believe that Sam was baring herself this way, and he grew even harder underneath her. Sam could feel his erection straining against her. She slowly removed the bra and let it drop to the floor. Freddie gasped for air. She was so beautiful! His eyes drank in every inch of her pale skin, watching her pink nipples fall and rise as she lowered herself to his chest. Their bare skin met and they both shuddered in response. Her lips met his, softly at first, then more urgently. Her back arched as she rubbed against his chest, eliciting another groan from Freddie. His hands ran up her sides, coming to rest just below her breasts. She twisted her body in response, sighing as she finally felt his warm hands feathering across her hardening nipples.

Waves of pleasure rolled though Sam, causing her to cry out. Surprised, Freddie's eyes shot up to meet hers. "Sam?" he questioned, stilling his movements. "No, Freddie," Sam breathed. "Don't stop. Please!" Emboldened, Freddie leaned over and captured one small pink nipple in his mouth, suckling gently. "OH!" Sam breathed, stiffening as she rocked against Freddie's erection. She rocked once, twice more, then collapsed in release against his chest. Freddie wrapped his arms around her, reveling in her warmth. Sam slowly came back to herself, feeling her heartbeat slowly returning to normal.

"Babe, you are the best boyfriend ever…."

Just then, the couple froze, hearing the front door open. "Freddie!" a shrill voice called. "I'm home!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

The couple froze, listening as Mrs. Benson closed the front door behind her, dropping her keys in the little ceramic bowl by the front door. They stared at each other, unable to move until they heard her footsteps heading in their direction.

"Freddie?" Mrs. Benson's voice approached his closed bedroom door.

Sam leaped off his lap, scooped up her clothes and scurried into the bathroom. Freddie sat frozen for two beats, then jumped up and attempted to run after Sam. Tripping over his own T-shirt in a panic, he wound up flat on his face on the floor.

"Freddiekins? Where are you?" Mrs. Benson's voice was getting closer and Freddie's brain finally kicked in. He quickly began doing push-ups at a rapid pace.

His mother opened the door forcefully, looking around the room with a suspicious frown. "Freddie, did I hear you talking to someone?"

"What? No, Mom, I was just counting off my reps – 48, 49, 50." He jumped to his feet, flushed and out of breath.

Her eyes swept from his disheveled hair to his heaving chest and she frowned even more deeply.

"I think that's enough, Fredward," Mrs. Benson insisted. "You don't want to overdo. Why don't you take a quick shower? Dinner will be ready is half an hour."

"A…a…shower?" Freddie stuttered, not daring to look in the direction of the bathroom. He knew Sam was probably hiding in said shower and his anxious look shifted to a smirk. "Sure, Mom, let me jump in the shower before dinner."

With one last suspicious look around the room, Mrs. Benson left the room, closing the door behind her.

Freddie slowly released the breath he was holding. Despite the interruption, he was going to need a cold shower after their earlier makeout session. He fell back onto his bed, his arm covering his eyes.

He heard her approaching, but remained in repose. Freddie suddenly felt two small hands slowly trace their way up his chest as a petite form straddled his lap.

"Not now, Sasha," he moaned, "my girlfriend might be back any second now."

"Your girlfriend?" a quiet voice purred. "Well, does your girlfriend do this?" Her hand traced his erection, lingering as he arched his back. At his indrawn breath, the hand continued its ministrations, eliciting another moan from Freddie.

"Sam," Freddie groaned. "You are the best girlfriend ever."

"Sam? What happened to Sasha?"

"Sasha was never as hot as you, babe," Freddie whimpered, anticipating her next movements.

"Better not be," teased Sam, "It would suck for your imaginary girlfriend to be hotter than me."

"Sam," Freddie panted. "The only words I heard from your last sentence were 'suck' and 'hotter.' Holy crap, I'm going to need a cold shower." He groaned , struggling to sit up. Sam rolled off his lap, reclining next to him.

"Well, I could always join you," Sam smirked, looking up at him flirtatiously. "Or you could just come back to bed." She patted the bed suggestively, attempting a 'come, hither' look. "C'mere, babe, and let me take care of you. I can help you….relax."

Freddie thought he might burst into flames on the spot. "Uh, um, well," he stuttered, his thoughts alternating between a wet, naked Sam and Sam 'taking care of him,' her mouth on his… Freddie bolted to the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

Sam stood up slowly, brushing off her hands. "Looks like my job here is done." She sauntered over to the window and hoisted herself out.


End file.
